K8Canb

I recently changed my Camry Vienta to 05 Camry Altise, since then I have trouble judging the distance and have already scraped front and rear bumper corners. This was not a problem in my Vienta, although there is not much difference in length and width of both cars the Altise seems a challenge in narrow parking.

I have decided to get front and rear parking assist package (supply and install), I sent two emails to Atkinson Installations but never received any reply (may be they are out of business). I am scared of going to Toyota dealer!

Could you please recommend a good package and also an installer with indicative total price please?

K8Canb

Hello!

My car model is 1993 camry SDV10. There was a gap in the coolant reservoir cap(not Radiator cap,not on the hose). I just using glue to stick it now, but it can not last long..

I live in Brisbane , and I have been looking for it for a few days but still can not find it,have been to Bursons.. ALL CASH .. SUPER CHEAP ..

Does everyone know how can I buy a good one,please tell me.. I will very appreciate it ..

Thank you very much!!

BEST REGARDS

Unfortunately, you may not be able to buy just the cap alone. The reservoir itself ages and get brittle after 10 to 15 years. I had to change coolant resorvoir and windscreen wiper tank in my 1995 Camry Vienta, I bought the parts from Toyota dealer and the cost for both was around $100, I later fouind few of these advertised on Ebay and they were selling for $20 to $30 each. You can also try visiting wreckers for used parts.

Hope this helps

K8Canb

It is interesting to note that almost every tyre manufacturers have started marketing cheap tyres. Other day I received Bridgestone catalog in mail box and a tyre called "CALIENTE" 205/65R15 is priced $79; also got BobJane Tmart catalog and all major manufacturers have started selling cheap car tyres.

Looks like Diamondback tyres selling at $79 at Kmart must have forced all manufacturer to face the competition :P

Anyone noticed the avaioilability of cheap car tyres (sub $80 to $95) from most manufacturers?

It is better to stay away from these cheepies.

K8Canb

I saw this Ebay site

http://cgi.ebay.com.au/ULTRA-RACING-4-Point-Front-Lower-Bar-T-Camry02-ACV36R-/150488285690?pt=AU_Car_Parts_Accessories&hash=item2309cd01fa

This shop seem to have stabiliser bars for every moving parts in the car!

Takle a look.

K8Canb

You guys should've bought a Gen 4.... 12 years old - 246000km's original alternator!

Man I love my car

My old Camry 1995 April model developed battery charging problem after two years, I was nowhere near a Toyota dealer, I went to a roadside auto-electric shop and they tested the alternator and replaced a capacitor for $60. The car with the same alternator is still going strong even today.

K8Canb

Open the boot, on the left hand + right hand sides (in the corner) there should be a black tab on the boot liner. Pull it open and you should find what you need. They are stored separately to the spare wheel in the Gen5's

Andrew thanks for your reply, yes, I have already lifted the boot liner but could not find the wheel nut spanner and jack handle. After lifting the boot liner, I could see a well in the right side corner and there is a jack (this arrangement is same as my Gen 3 Camry), on left side there is a well too but there is nothing in that well (except a thich black cable pass through at the bottom of the well.

Looks like, the mprevious owner might not have placed the tools when the car was handed to the finance company. Looks like I may have to buy these both items, I will not go to the dealer but try at wreckers.

Thanks to others who also have replied.

K8Canb

I am bit puzzled, as I am unable to locate the jack leaver and wheel nut spanner in my Camry Altise. In my other Camry (1995 Vienta), these items are located on the spare wheel cover in the boot. Although the Altise owner manual mention some "Tool Bag" in the boot, I have failed to locate this bag or the items I am looking for.

Pleaase help.

K8Canb

I ran my previous 1995 V6 Magna on Shell E10 for 6 months. Price per litre was cheaper, but fuel economy decreased that you used more fuel to travel the same distance then using the Standard Unleaded 91 Octane or above 95 or 98 octane, thus costing more overall to run. I returned to using Shell standard unleaded 91 octane and once a month I used VPower 98 octane, to burn out any carbob buildup due to Sydney inner city driving.

Because Shell has taken away (Fed Law) the Standard Unleaded 91 and replaced with E10, I'm using Shell 95 in the '99 Camry I have now. I'm paying more per litre but have better fuel consumption.

I always use Wolworth's discount coupen so I always go and fill in Wolworth owned Caltex pumps, they never sold E10 at these pumps. However, last week I went to one of my regular Wolworth pump (Hughes ACT), I was surprised to see that they have stopped selling regular unleaded and only sell E10. They also sell 95 and 98 Ron petrol.

That means slowly R91 unleaded is disappearing from pumps! I never expected this to happen at Wolworth owned pumps.

K8Canb

Does the Toyota Camry 05' support E10? doesnt say in owners bookelt thks :)

Yes, here is the offical reply from Toyota Auatralia about E10 compatibility http://www.toyota.com.au/faqs

For vehicles manufactured or imported by Toyota Australia:

TOYOTA (Passenger Models)

Locally produced Toyota models will operate satisfactorily on petrol fuel blended with 10% ethanol (E10) from the following production dates:

Camry: from Jan 1987 (All electronic fuel injection models)

Corolla: from July 1994

Avalon: All

Lexcen: All

(Note: Previous production and Corona model not recommended due to incompatability of material)

Enthanol blend greater than 10% is not approved

All Toyota passenger vehicles fully imported by Toyota Australia will operate on petrol fuel blended with 10% ethanol (E10), except older models:

Supra

Cressida

Paseo

Starlet

(Note: E10 not recommended due to incompatiibility of material) Enthanol blend greater than 10% is not approved.

Hope this helps

K8Canb

I was looking to go for the '02-'04 Camry as well, the 2.4 Litre Sportivo in particular.

I have had a lot of trouble with my Vienta V6. Drives superb but I always have trouble with the engine leaking coolant.

Spent $3560 on a rebuild 2 years ago, then 18 months later another blown head gasket that required an extra $1500 to fix...(had a friend do it for me cheap). Now the car runs like crap when it's cold and there's a smell of burning rubber when she gets warm (and no, I don't hoon my cars). And it's still bloody leaking coolant! Very slowly though.

Looked at the Pickles car auction site, no Camry's in my neck of the woods at all, except maybe very late models.

One Avalon though, looked nice.

Had a look at the storm damage/salvage section, found an '02 Camry that looked very badly rolled, then left in a monsoon.

There's an auction place just a 5 minute drive from my home, they don't seem to be doing good business lately. Only 5 cars on their site...

Thanks for the replies guys. I have decided on the Sportivo, not sure whether to get the 4 banger or V6.

The Toyota stopped V6 camry production in 2006 and Avalon 2005 (I think!), there will be some older Camry V6 and Avalon (rarely) will come for auctions even today. Take a look at this web page from Pickles:

http://www.pickles.com.au/cars/listing/?ed_item_type_id=100000001&ed_make_id=100000325&ed_model_id=10000746&ed_fromyear=&ed_toyear=&ed_fromkms=&ed_tokms=&ed_city=All&ed_description=3.0&ed_damage=REG&ed_sort=description&ed_search_type=AUCTION&x=45&y=6

As far camry 4 cylinder model it is continued and being made with lots of improvements like stability and traction control etc. Normally the Government departments and fleet companies dispose their cars after they reach two years may be even earlier if the cars clock certain killometers. However, some older 4 Cyl. Camry will be available at Pickles auctions whcin normally will be of finance company repossed type.

Alternatively, you can look in Tradingpost, Drive and Carpoing web sites for used car sales. You will almost get anything of your choice, both from private sellers and dealers.

Hope that helps.

K8Canb

You are better off posting on boostcruising.

There are heaps of guys in Brisbane who offer their cheap painting services, I know it isn't TOCAU but there are definitely more of them

I am looking for similar painting (just two Camry bumpers only) in Canberra, cazn someone recommend a rfeasonable place to get the painting done? Unfortunately things in Canberra tends to be expenssive!

K8Canb

Hello everyone,

I have a 1994 Vienta Ultima which I may soon want to offload.

I have owned two MK3's over the last 8 years and want something else.

On top of my savings/tax return if I can sell my Vienta I may have a total of $10K or so to play with by the end of the year.

I am tossing up between a 2000-03 Avalon and a 2002-03 Altise or Sportivo.

I have found 2 Sportivo's near me and both are under $10K. One is a 4 banger auto with a sunroof and done 176K's, while the other has only done 114K and is a V6 manual! (Must be something wrong with the latter car!).

Also, I have seen a really nice Avalon, a 2000 model which looks concourse but has done over 200K's...and they want $7200.

Which is the better car/model- Avalon or Altise/Sportivo? And what is the right price to pay for a V6 2003 Camry Sportivo that has done around 160K and doesn't look like it belongs in a tip?

Ya just can't trust Red Book all the time.

Miklos

I have 1995 Camry Vienta, which has done 2015000 kms. I recently bought 2005 Camry Altise V6 which has done about 96000 kms. The cafr is in excellant condition except there are few cosmetic marks on the front and rear bumpers. I only paid $9500 and another about $500 for the charges pickles charge including their procession/admin charges. So for $10000 I got a good car and that should last another atleast 10 years for me.

I bought my car in Pickles auction in canberra, I suggest you take a look at the cars available on their web site pickles.com.au They also sell some cars at fixed prices but I find that the price for fixed price cars tends to be couple of grands morfe than auction prices.

However, due to the introduction of Aurion, availability of Avalon/Camry V6 cars at Pickles auctions are becomeing rare but they come now and then.

Hope this helps.

K8Canb

f the tyres are not safe then the Government should not allow them to be sold in Australia!

K8Canb

The tyres are safe in the respect that they meet a minimum safety standard. However, that minimum standard may not be the same as YOUR minimum standard - one man's "poor handling, crap grip, squeals like a pig" is another man's "I only drive around town, rarely get to 60km/h, never take a corner in anger, and don't want to pay $300 a corner for a tyre for my bog-stock 4-cylinder econobox". In short, they are only going to be "dangerous" if you ask more of them than what they are designed for. Remember that 90% of road users are simply commuting from A to B and care nothing about how they get there as long as they do get there, and it is for these people that the cheap Kmart/Bob Jane tyres are designed for. Obviously you can't take those sorts of tyres and expect them to handle well under the punishment of an enthusiast, in the same way that you can't take a performance tyre and expect it to live up to a penny-pincher's expectations for wear life, noise and cost.

Thanks

K8Canb

Those are the Brand tyres my Grandad has on his 94 model Camry.

He doesnt really mind those tyres as he only take the car to work,shopping and families places (which is all near by)

Plus he usually stays 5-10 KM's under the speed limit.

I once had to drive his car in the rain at night and the performance and handling were fairly poor.

Realisticly it comes down to your personal choice - If your happy with it then keep it,

it also depends on the condition your going to drive in.

If you do drive in poor conditions then id say its a good idea to have better performing tyres.

I noticed that your about the same age as my grandad, so its a good idea to take into consideration on how far you drive and your driving style.

I wish I could drive bit slower! Unfortunately in Canberra everyone drives at or slightly above the speed limit, if anyone try to drive slower then the other drivers get angry and sho their anger too. Most roads have 50, 60, and 80 km speed limits. Couple of roads have 100 km limits and that is my worry! The two tyres which are Diamondback are near new and I hate to throw them, may be I will use them sometimes and then change to my normal Bridgestone.

Thanks for all for replying and some suggest not to buy these, unfortunately I already have them on my car.

If the tyres are not safe then the Government should not allow them to be sold in Australia!

K8Canb

Realistically... what are you thoughts?

Personally, just from the name alone I would call them a cheap crappy tire. But that said, they may work just fine in terms of everyday use, much like a cheap shoe can easily work for covering your foot and protecting it from the ground. It's just they may not be the safest tire out there should you ever come across a situation that may call on good grip, and as you said, wet weather performance may not be so great.

Thanks for the reply DJKOR, my issue is the tyres are already came on my car. I bought the car in Pickles auction, as the car was a repossed one the original owner masy have gone for cheap tyres.

My problem is I live in Canberra and wet driving and black ice are regular issues here. I hate to throw the almost brand new tyres but worry about my own safety.

My drawing has now become slower!

K8Canb

On my recently purchased Camry Alrise, I noticed that two rear tryrs are Diamondback and front tyres are dunlop. The diamondbacks are almost new and I just now discoved at K-Mart that Diamondbacks are dirt cheap ($79 each for 205 65 15) that is cheaper than BobJane brand tyres.

I am now worried about these Diamondback tyres as I firmly belive in "You get what you pay". I have heard from friends that these are crfap tyres and their grip on wet roads is horrible, however, none of them have actually used these tyres.

Just wondering about your thoughts on these tyres.

K8Canb

Thanks for your help, it's an automatic if that changes anything

That is fine, if it were to be manual then the clutch condition would have come into consideration.

By the way, the stamp duty for the car will not be lot, however, if you still want to save paying the duty, then keep the registration and insurance on your mates name!

K8Canb

If I had to choose I would go for a camera system over the parking sensors. You get 2 things with the camera system, you still get to see how far away from any object behind you, and also be able to see small objects on the ground such as childrens toys or the child themselves. The amount of accidents involving kids being reversed over, especially at home is on the increase.

I am considering front and rear parking sensors or rear camera. Due to my current age and physical state, I cannot venture self installation.

Can someone give me an idea of costs involved for supply and install parking sensors and/or rear camera?

I have emailed Attkinsoninstalls but not yet heard from them yet. Any other recommendations for a good and reliable installer in Canberra?

Thanks in advance.

K8Canb

Hi everyone,

I am currently looking to buy my first car, which is quite a scary experience! However, a friend of mine has kindly offered to give me a 1990 Camry. It is running well and has had no major problems in the last 10 years. It has done just over 200,000ks. I am planning to get the RACQ to check it out first, not because i don't trust this person, but because neither of us know a lot about cars, and I don't want to be stung for $1000s of dollars in repairs just after I get it.

So I guess my question to you is, is this worth getting it inspected and roadworthy for such an old car? Will I still get five or more years out of it, or would it be better to buy a newer (but still cheap) car.

Also, do I have to pay stamp duty or government taxes if the car is given to me?

I really appreciate your help, as this is all new to me!

It is better if you provide bit more information like is it auto or manual etc.

Getting RACQ inspection is a good idea as it will highlight any problems needing urgent attention. As the car has done 200000 kms its needs some services like replacing timing belt and drive belts etc. Look at the condition of tires, any oil leaks, drive and handling, condition of CV jints by steering end to end and looking for any clicking sounds. Finally service history and log books if any.

If well maintained, you can expect the car to go well beyond 300000 to 350000 kms easily.

Even if you get the car for free, you may still have to pay stamp duty on its estimated market value.

Hope this helps

K8Canb

If you are getting a bit older, my advice would be getting a smaller car like a Corolla(if it fits your needs), for easy of parking etc. My Pop went front a big Falcon to a V6 Vienta similar to mine. He loves it too.

However the 1MZ is a very relaible engine, as long as there is an oil flush put through during services then all should be fine, especially with only 97000km. Try ebay for the workshop manual, try and get a comprehensive one like a Haynes or Gregory's, trust me they are worth it.

I did consider Corolla, but it has a small motor and the boot space of sedfan is also small compared to Camry. I felt that corolla is not rommy for my physical size.

Sorry for the late reply as sometimes my memory has started failing :)

The Camry Owner's manual states to disconnect the car negative battery terminal before charging the battery. Is this really necessary? My concern is about possible loss of electronic data such as airbag, engine diagnostic etc.

What you experts think?

K8Canb

It does state it but i wouldnt bother .. For example when jump starting the car .. You cant jump start with the negative disconnected so i dont understand why they really bother when charging it ...

In my other car 1995 Camry Vienta, I have charged the batter many times without removing the negative terminal and nothing has happened. I thought that the new 2005 Camry circuit may be diffrent and require the disconnection.

Few people have warned about damaging the alternater, could someone provide more detail;s aboput how the altyernator can get damaged? Here I am charging the battery directly and applying normal charging voltage. Just wondering about the possibility of alternator getting damaged. The jump starting example is interesting as the car cannot start without the both battery terminals connected.

Someone with good auto-electrical knowledge may like to educate us on this matter.

Thanks to everyone who have replied.

K8Canb

Is the battery flat? If it is, you would have most likely lost the setting etc anyways. If you start the car and run it for a while the alternator should charge it. However you can buy a "Memory Minder" which you plug into your cigarette lighter and it provides enough power to save the settings.

No the battery is not flat, as I do not drive the car everyday, in Canberra weather, sometimes it is hard to start in the morning. Couple of occations I had to call NRMA who tested the battery and the charging system which was found ok. I thought that occational charging may help.

Memory minder sound intersting, where can I buy that and roughly how much it coast?

Thanks for your reply.

The Camry Owner's manual states to disconnect the car negative battery terminal before charging the battery. Is this really necessary? My concern is about possible loss of electronic data such as airbag, engine diagnostic etc.

What you experts think?

K8Canb

A good quality semi-synthetic blend will be sufficient with the 1mz-fe, something like the Penrite HPR series works pretty good (I use it on my Dads 1mz-fe which has done ~155000km). I however use Mobil 1 5-50w full synthetic in my 1mz.

Spark plugs should have been changed @ the 90000km mark so if that car has been serviced at the right intervals you should not need to change the plugs. If you do, you will need to remove the inlet manifold in order to do so (probably best to buy a manifold gasket and replace it while you do the change).

Things to note:

- Word is the alternator on the 36 series have a habit of dying young, my one died @ 93000km and cost ~$550 to replace as apparently a non-oem one won't fit.

- Don't push the brakes too hard, I warped mine on my first Mt Nebo run

- Rear left shock leaked around the 93000km mark and had to be replaced

Thanks for the reply and I have noted the points.

The two engines (3VZFE and 1MZFE) look similar from out side, except 1MZFE has knock sensor for each cylinder. In some 3VZFEs the diffrfential has its own drain and filler ports and others just share oil from the autotransmission. I am unable to figure out about 1MZFE, it would be nice if someone could educate me on this.

I have started liking 1MZFE as it has more torque and drives smoother.

Thanks again for the reply.

K8Canb

The 3vzfe in your old vienta and the 1mzfe motors are fairly similar in design to each other so if your used to servicing your old car it shouldn't be much different.....I'd just check to see if the major 100,000kms service has been done yet, otherwise expect it to be a fairly expensive service. As long as it's serviced properly (like any car) you shouldn't expect too many problems from the 05 camry

Thanks for the reply, did you mean a major service at 100000 kms for 3VZFE require change of timing belt, pulley, few oil seals, water pump, spark plugs etc etc. However, for 1MZFE I was told that the timing belt needs to be changed at 150000 kms. I am not sure about spark plugs though.

I am going to collect my car tomorrow from Pickles and then read the owners/service manual which should tell me more.

I never used synthetic oil in my 3VZFE, if it is fine to use on 1MZFE I would like to use.

Thanks again for your reply.

K8Canb